


step and stumble

by MiniNephthys



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-17
Updated: 2015-11-17
Packaged: 2018-05-02 02:36:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5230676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Papyrus attends a masquerade and dances with a stranger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	step and stumble

Papyrus doesn’t exactly see the point in a masquerade ball.

Obviously, anyone will be able to tell who he is even if he wears a mask over his eyes. He’s the great Papyrus, and he can’t hide that! ...And also there are only two skeletons he knows, and he is much taller than his brother, so it will probably be apparent to everyone which one he is unless his brother wears stilts.

He doesn’t get the point of it, but Frisk told him that it’s for fun, and it sounds like fun. Anyway, Frisk is excited, which automatically means that Papyrus is excited, too.

Frisk helped him pick out fancy clothes, which, well, of course it would be even more obvious that he was Papyrus if he just wore his usual outfit, but suits take a bit of getting used to. He looks even more dapper than normal.

When the masquerade itself arrives, he takes the opportunity to dance with all his friends. It’s a little difficult to dance with Frisk because of their height difference but they manage. Alphys steps on his toes a little, but he reassures her every time that it’s fine, though she never quite believes him. Undyne leads their dance; Papyrus doesn’t think she’s ever followed in a dance in her life. Mettaton, of course, dances totally flawlessly, and poses more than is strictly necessary in the process.

Papyrus is watching Alphys and Undyne dance together, and is considering whether or not to find whether Sans has gone off to in order to dance with him a second time when a stranger approaches. And that in itself is weird, because Papyrus thought he knew every monster at this ball.

He also thought he knew all the skeletons, and this is a skeleton... he thinks? Whatever he is, he’s even taller than Papyrus, and dressed equally flawlessly, with a black and white mask covering most of his face.

“May I ask you for this dance?” he asks. His voice is a little rough, as if he hadn’t been using it for a long time before approaching Papyrus.

Of course Papyrus says, “Of course!” This looks like a way to make new friends if he’d ever seen one.

The stranger takes Papyrus’ hands in his (they’re awfully cold) and leads him onto the dance floor. The music right now is slow enough for the dances he’d learned from Mettaton just for the occasion, but not so slow as to be totally reserved for romantic couples.

“Lead or follow?” Papyrus asks. “I am equally capable and talented at both, nyeh heh!”

That gets a smile, visible despite the mask. “I believe that. I’ll follow you.”

So Papyrus settles his hands into the right places - it’s strange doing this with someone taller than him, someone even taller than Mettaton - and starts to lead them across the floor. It takes a good portion of his concentration at first, but he falls into the patterns soon enough, and begins to make conversation.

“I don’t think we’ve met?”

That smile softens, though it doesn’t quite disappear. “Isn’t the point of a masquerade not to know?”

“You make a good argument!” Papyrus says. “I guess you will insist on remaining mysterious!”

“So sorry,” the stranger says. One two three, two two three. “Have you enjoyed yourself tonight?”

“Of course,” Papyrus replies. “Everyone is having fun, and I got to dance with all my friends!”

“I’m glad,” he says in return, and doesn’t elaborate any more than that.

Papyrus falls quiet for a bit. Really, though, who is this? All he knows is that he’s probably a skeleton, taller than him, and has some fine dance moves. Not all that much to go on, but for the great problem sleuthing Papyrus, it’ll be enough.

“Lost in thought?” the other skeleton says. His scratchy voice sounds lightly teasing. “I know the feeling.”

“Err- of course I’m paying attention to you, too!” Papyrus almost misses a step. “Drat!”

A low chuckle. “Nothing to be concerned about. I’ll be here even if you step on my feet.”

“I would rather not!” Papyrus says, focusing on getting the rhythm back. “That’s no way to make a good first impression.”

For some reason, the stranger always looks a little sadder when he calls attention to his unfamiliarity. Huh.

But he’s a good dancer, and the music is sweet and light, and the song is over before they know it. Papyrus’ partner separates from him and bows, and Papyrus bows back to be polite.

“Thank you,” the stranger says. “I’d always wanted to do that.”

“Of course! I, the great Papyrus, am here to make your dreams come true!” Papyrus looks away for a moment, trying to see if Sans has reappeared yet. “But, really, who are-?”

When he looks back, the other skeleton is gone.

Papyrus is perplexed all the way through the rest of the masquerade. When it’s over, and he’s on his way home with Sans, he takes the moment to ask, “Did you meet that other skeleton?”

Sans looks at him askance. “What do you mean?”

“There was another skeleton at the ball. One taller than me, even. I danced with him once.” Papyrus is frowning. “Really, do I know who that is? I didn’t think there were any skeletons besides us.”

“There aren’t,” Sans says, firmly. “It’s just us. And I didn’t see you dance with any weird skeletons.”

Papyrus is even more confused now. “You must not have been paying attention. You were probably eating ketchup from the food bar the whole time we danced.”

“Can you blame me?” asks Sans, with a lazy smile. “It was good ketchup.”

Papyrus scowls. “You’ve gotten some on your suit! These are the nicest clothes you own!”

“Oh, you’re right,” says Sans, like he only just noticed. And then: “I don’t relish the thought of trying to get these stains out.”

“Sans!”

Successfully distracted, Papyrus lets the matter of the other skeleton drop, for the time being.


End file.
